Means of attaching dials to watch-movements.



.No. 857,333. I PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907, P. R. CUNNINGHAM. MEANS OF ATTAGHING DIALS TO WATCH MOVEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.2,1905.

PETER: co. WJEHHNSHIN, D c

FRANK. R. CUNNINGHAM, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS OF ATTACHING DIALS TO WATCH-MOVEMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

emen fil d December 2,1905. $eria1N0- 290,005.

To all whom it new/ concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK R. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Attaching Dials to WatclrMovements, of which the following is a specification.

In watches as heretofore constructed, and especially in the United States, the dials have been secured to the movements by feet i. 6. posts projecting from the back of the dial and entering holes in the movement plate, where they were held by screws bearing against the side of the posts or feet. This method is objectionable for several reasons The feet rarely fit the holes intended for their reception, and when the screws are tightened the feet are forced to one side, frequently cracking or breaking the enamel of the dial. The feet being of copper in a soft state, they are frequently bent accidentally, resulting in an eccentric position of the dial. The screws sometimes become loose, and the dial rattles or falls against the hands, seriously affecting the rate of the watch, or effecting stoppage altogether.

My invention has for its object to overcome these difficulties and to provide a better way of attaching the dials to the movements.

With this end in view, my invention consists of certain other novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is an enlarged plan view of a watch dial held in position by my improved method. Fig. 2. is an enlarged vertical section, showing details on the line 3. 3. of Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is an enlarged edge view, seen in the plane of the dial, of the dial rim 13, showing the lip or projection. Fig. 4. is an enlarged edge view, in the plane of the dial, of the dial rim, showing an incision or partial interruption.

In the said drawings, Fig. 2. 1 represents a portion of the movement plate.

B represents a portion of the dial.

33 is the front coating of enamel bearing the figures or numerals, etc.

35 is the copper base to which the enamel adheres.

38 is the thin coating of enamel on the back of the dial. 1

The edge of the dial is ground away truly circular and at an angle 11. The back of the j dial is ground all around exposing a portion of the copper base 35 at 7.

13 is an annular rim of spring brass or other suitable material, secured at 7 by solder, or otherwise, to the copper 35 of the dial B. The free edge 5 of rim B may extend upward to a point flush with top of dial. The upper edge of 13 should be free at all times from the enamel 33. It will be seen that the rim B will have a certain degree of flexibility. The movement plate A is provided with an annular wall 10, said wall being on its inner side sloped or undercut 15 which serves to hold the dial B with rim 13 securely and concentrically in position.

To facilitate removal of the dial from the movement, an opening 14 Fig. 1. may be made in the wall 10. To insure accurate angular placement of the dial a lip or projection 12 Figs. 1 and 3, may be made in the rim 13 to enter the opening 14 in wall 10. Or a special and narrower opening in wall 10 may be made for this purpose.

To increase the flexibility of the rim 13, it may be partially interrupted at one or more points 8 Fig. 4., such incisions should not extend below the dotted line 6 Figs. 2 and 4.

It will be seen that this method of fastening allows the use of the dial for either hunting or open face. The dial rim also has a considerable degree of adjustability, thus rendering particularly accurate fitting unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.. A dial for time-pieces provided with a spring rim located substantially between the two planes coincident with the inner and outer faces of the dial, and capable of yielding toward the center of the dial.

2. A movement plate having a wall there on, and a dial having a resilient periphery located substantially between the planes coincident with the inner and outer faces of the dial; said wall and periphery being made capable of mutual engagement by the yielding centrifugal pressure of said periphery.

3. A movement plate having a wall there on, and a substantially flat dial having peripheral spring devices located within the plane of the dial and capable of centripetal yielding and of engagement with said wall.

4. A movement plate having a wall thereon, and a dial having a resilient periphery located substantially between the planes eeincident with the inner and outer faces of the dial; said resilient periphery and Wall being made capable of mutual engagement by the yielding centrifugal pressure of said periphcry, and the latter having one or more interruptions therein.

5. A movement plate having an undercut wall thereon, and a dial having a resilient periphery located substantially between the planes coincident with the inner and ,outer faces of the dial and constructed to be sprung into engagement with said wall.

6. The combination with a movement plate having a wall thereon, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said Wall, and having its outer surface approximately coincident with the edge of said wall, and a resilient metallic ring located between said dial and wall; said ring being permanently attached to said dial and disposed for resilient engagement with said wall.

7. The combination with a movement plate having a Wall thereon, of a dial, and a resilient ring substantially L-shaped in cross section having its branch projecting inward and secured to said dial; said ring being substantially included between the two planes coincident with the inner and outer faces of the dial, and disposed to engage said wall and thereby hold the dial in place.

8. The combination with a movement plate having a Wall thereon, of a dial substantiallyless in diameter than said wall, and a resilient metallic ring located between said dial and Wall disposed for holding the dial in place therein; said Wall being formed with a recess, and said ring being formed with a projection resiliently engaging said recess.

9. The combination with a movement plate having a Wall thereon, of a dial substantially less in diameter than said wall, and a resilient ring thinner in section. than the space between said dial and wall; said ring being secured at one edge to said dial and disposed to have its other edge elastically pressed against saidwall.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses FRANK R. CUNNINGHARL fitnesses:

CARRIE S. SLEEPER, LEVINA NELLSON. 

